Cosmos plant named ‘Strawberry Choco Sanse 41’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of  Cosmos,  named ‘Strawberry Choco Sanse 41’, characterized by a very vigorous branching habit, abundance of flowers, high hardiness with high heat resistance, low susceptibility to powdery mildew and mites, large flower size, delayed bloom after pinching and distinctive red color of the flower.

Botanical classification: The present invention relates to a new Cosmoshybrid.

Cultivar denomination: The new plant has the varietal denomination‘Strawberry Choco Sanse 41’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new variety of Cosmos was created in a controlled breeding programby crossing two parents; in particular, by crossing as seed parentCosmos atrosanguineus and as pollen parent Cosmos sulphureus. Thebreeding program was conducted in Kubuchizawa, Kitakoma-gun, Yamanashi,Japan. The crossing was made in March 2002, and seedlings weretransplanted and pinched in early September of the same year. Withapplied lighting, the first flowers were observed in December 2002 andinitial selections were made for new flower color and more vigorousgrowth. Root cuttings obtained from selected seedlings were planted inSeptember 2003, and final selections for new color and more vigorousgrowth were made in December 2003.

The resulting seedling of the new variety was grown and asexuallypropagated by rooted cuttings in Yamanashi, Japan, in March 2004. Thispropagation and subsequent testing has demonstrated that the combinationof traits disclosed herein which characterize the new variety are fixedand retained true to type through successive generations of asexualreproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Cosmos variety. Thevarietal denomination of the new variety is ‘Strawberry Choco Sanse 41’.Among the characteristics which appear to distinguish the new varietyfrom other varieties are a very vigorous branching habit, abundance offlowers, high hardiness with high heat resistance, low susceptibility topowdery mildew and mites, large flower size, delayed bloom afterpinching and distinctive red color of the flower.

COMPARISON TO CLOSEST VARIETY

The new variety is closest to Cosmos atrosanguineus, but isdistinguished therefrom by the following characteristics possessed by‘Strawberry Choco Sanse 41’ which are different than, or not possessedby, C. atrosanguineus:

-   -   Very vigorous branching habit (8 to 10 branches per plant        compared to 4 to 5 branches for C. atrosanguineus)    -   Abundance of flowers (8 to 10 flowers per plant compared to 4 to        5 flowers for C. atrosanguineus)    -   Rapid growth and establishment (Diameter 10 to 15 cm, thirty        days after planting, compared to 8 to 10 cm, thirty days after        planting, for C. atrosanguineus)    -   Distinctive red color of the flower (Grayed purple color near        RHS 187B, compared to Grayed purple color near RHS 187A for C.        atrosanguineus)    -   Different flowering time (80 to 90 days after pinching, compared        to 60 to 70 days after pinching for C. atrosanguineus).

PARENT VARIETY COMPARISON

Female parent: C. atrosanguineus.

The new variety differs from the female parent in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Much more vigorous branching habit    -   2. Greater number of flowers per plant    -   3. Different leaf shape    -   4. Greater heat tolerance; plants grow over summer without        dying. Also, more tolerant to powdery mildew and mites.    -   5. Flower color is lighter than that of the female parent.

Male parent: C. sulphureus.

The new variety differs from the male parent in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. The male parent is annual while ‘Strawberry Choco Sanse 41’        is perennial.    -   2. Male parent flower color is orange while ‘Strawberry Choco        Sanse 41’ has dark red flowers.    -   3. ‘Strawberry Choco Sanse 41’ has more branches (8-10 branches        per plant) than the male parent (3-5 branches per plant).    -   4. Flower shape is different.    -   5. Leaf shape is different.

COMPARISON TO ‘CACAO CHOCO SANSE 35’

-   -   1. ‘Strawberry Choco Sanse 41’ has a more reddish brown petal        color (near RHS 187B when fully opened) while ‘Cacao Choco Sanse        35’ has a darker brown petal color (near RHS 187A when fully        opened).    -   2. The flowers of ‘Strawberry Choco Sanse 41’ are slightly        smaller (about 5 mm less in diameter) than those of ‘Cacao Choco        Sanse 35’.    -   3. The number of petals in ‘Strawberry Choco Sanse 41’ is        typically around 8 while ‘Cacao Choco Sanse 35’ typically has 0        to 10 petals.    -   4. ‘Strawberry Choco Sanse 41’ flowers about 10 days earlier        than ‘Cacao Choco Sanse 35’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIONS

FIG. 1 shows a plant of the new variety.

FIG. 2 shows the stems and leaves of the new variety.

FIG. 3 shows the underside of a leaf of the new variety.

FIG. 4 shows the upperside of a leaf of the new variety.

FIG. 5 shows the leaf of the new variety compared to leaves of the maleand female parent and the variety ‘Cacao Choco Sanse 35’.

FIG. 6 shows a plant of the female parent C. atrosanguineus.

FIG. 7 shows the upperside of a leaf of the female parent C.atrosanguineus.

FIG. 8 shows the upperside of a leaf of the male parent C. sulphureus.

FIG. 9 shows the underside of a leaf of the male parent C. sulphureus.

FIG. 10 shows the calyx of the new variety.

FIG. 11 shows the corolla of the new variety.

FIG. 12 shows petals of the new variety.

FIG. 13 shows the corolla of the female parent, C. atrosanguineus, ofthe new variety.

FIG. 14 shows the corolla of the male parent, C. sulphureus, of the newvariety.

FIG. 15 shows the corolla of the new variety compared to corolla of themale and female parent and the variety ‘Cacao Choco Sanse 35’.

FIG. 16 shows a bud of the new variety compared to a bud of the variety‘Cacao Choco Sanse 35’.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed description of the new variety is based uponobservations taken of plants grown outdoors in 30-cm pots inKubuchizawa, Kitakoma-gun, Yamanashi, Japan, with a range of daytemperatures from 18° to 28° Celsius, and a range of night temperaturesfrom 10° to 18° Celsius.

The following description is in accordance with UPOV terminology and thecolor terminology herein is in accordance with The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart (R.H.S.). The color descriptions and otherphenotypical descriptions may deviate from the stated values anddescriptions depending upon variation in environmental, seasonal,climatic and cultural conditions.

-   Plant: When grown at a temperature between −3° and 30° Celsius, the    new variety can be grown as perennial.    -   -   Shape.—Spreading or clump forming, as shown in FIG. 1.        -   Height.—About 30 to 40 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 20 to 25 cm.        -   Growth rate.—Grows to about 25 to 30 cm in two months after            planting in soil.-   Roots:    -   -   Time to initiate.—About 30 days.        -   Form.—Tuberculate.-   Branches:    -   -   Habit.—Many branches, with about 8 to 10 lateral branches            per plant; stems are hard.        -   Length.—About 30 to 40 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 5 to 8 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 3 to 5 cm.        -   Color.—Grayed purple group, near R.H.S. 187B.        -   Pubescence.—Present.-   Foliage:    -   -   Leaf arrangement.—Decussate opposite, as shown in FIG. 3.        -   Number.—About 8 to 12 leaves per lateral branch.        -   Form.—Compound, with 5 leaflets per leaf.        -   Leaflet shape.—Dissected, with acute tip and attenuate base.        -   Size.—About 8 to 10 cm in length, about 4-6 cm in width.        -   Texture.—Opaque, not glossy, with some pubescence on the            underside.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Venation.—Palmate.        -   Color, young.—Upperside, Yellow green group, near R.H.S.            144B; underside, Yellow green group, near R.H.S. 144C.        -   Color, mature.—Upperside, Yellow green group, near R.H.S.            144A; underside, Yellow green group, near R.H.S. 144B.        -   Vein color.—Upperside, Grayed purple group, near R.H.S.            187B; underside, Grayed purple group, near R.H.S. 187B; but            slightly lighter than upperside.        -   Petiole size.—Length, about 1.5 to 3.0 cm; diameter, about 3            to 5 mm.        -   Petiole color.—Light reddish brown, near Grayed purple group            R.H.S. 187C.-   Flower:    -   -   Arrangement.—Solitary.        -   Form.—Cup shaped.        -   Flowering habit.—Long day plant, normally flowering in June            and July.        -   Time to flower.—About 80 to 90 days after pinching.        -   Number.—One flower per lateral stem; 2 to 4 buds per lateral            stem; about 13 to 20 flowers and buds per plant.        -   Size.—Diameter, about 5 to 6 cm; depth, about 1.5 to 2.0 cm.        -   Fragrance.—Soft fragrance.        -   Lastingness of bloom.—On plant, Spring planting, about 120            to 150 days, Autumn planting, about 50 to 90 days; cut            flower, about 7 to 10 days.        -   Number of petals.—About 8 per flower.        -   Petal texture.—Velvety.        -   Petal size.—Length, about 2.5 cm; width, about 2.0 cm.        -   Petal color.—When opening Upperside, Grayed purple group,            near R.H.S. 187A, underside, Grayed purple group, near            R.H.S. 187B; Fully opened Upperside, Grayed purple group,            near R.H.S. 187B, underside, Grayed purple group, near            R.H.S. 187C.        -   Number of sepals.—About 10 per flower.        -   Sepal color.—Upperside, Green group, near R.H.S. 137C,            underside, Green group, near R.H.S. 137C.        -   Calyx size.—Length, about 1.0 to 1.2 cm, diameter, about 2.0            to 2.3 cm.        -   Peduncle length.—About 15 to 20 cm.        -   Peduncle color.—Yellow green group, near R.H.S. 146D.        -   Flower bud size.—Length, about 0.8 to 1.2 cm; diameter,            about 0.8 to 1.2 cm.        -   Bud opening rate.—About 70% to 80%.        -   Flower bud color.—Grayed purple group near R.H.S. 187 A.        -   Stamen.—Degenerated.        -   Anther.—Degenerated.        -   Pistil.—Number, about 30 to 50 per flower; length, about 5            to 8 mm.        -   Stigma.—Color, Yellow group, near R.H.S. 13A.        -   Style.—Length, about 0.8 to 1.0 mm; color, Yellow group,            near R.H.S. 13A.        -   Ovary.—Color, light yellow, near R.H.S. 154D; no seed            development.-   Disease resistance: Increased tolerance to powdery mildew and mites.-   Heat tolerance: Increased heat tolerance; plants grow over summer    without dying.

1. A new and distinct variety of Cosmos plant, identified as ‘StrawberryChoco Sanse 41’, substantially as shown and described.